16 Outstanding Independent Films Honored in Awards Ceremony on March 1 2014 in New York City

Best Student Film winner Julia Walter and Best Actress Nominee Stefanie Von Poser

New York, NY (3/07/2014):  If you happened to stop by the Gray Line terminal on 8th Avenue last weekend, you might have noticed that there was a lot more going on inside than tour bus ticket sales. Unbeknownst to many, this building is home to a private theater where NYC’s Winter Film Awards held their Third Annual Independent Film Festival on February 26- March 1, 2014.

WFA festival patrons included NYC local filmmakers, arts enthusiasts, and international filmmakers who traveled across the world to see their films screened in front of a live audience, some for the very first time. Among the 61 films selected for screening this year was a diverse mixture of documentaries, shorts, features, animation, music videos and horror films, including 9 student films, 17 female directors and representation from over 20 countries.

The Festival concluded on the evening of March 1 with a gala Awards Ceremonyand After-Party, held in the stunning Empire Room at the renowned event space club 230 Fifth. The dazzling awards show included live musical performances from Soleil J and Billboard artist Sessino and featured outrageous costume designs by Natasha Berezhnaya.  The hosts for the evening were stand-up comedian Zach Garner and the breathtaking classically trained opera singer and runway model. Radmila Lolly. The entire show was filmed and live streamed to the web via Worldcast Inc, and viewers from all over the globe logged on to  watch. Awards were given out in 16 categories including a new honorary award  “Patron of the Cinema,” given to actor/screenwriter/director/editor Larry Fessenden for his outstanding contribution to the NYC film community.

AND THE WINNERS ARE …………
Best Picture ……. Behind Closed Doors (Nicolas Sicurella)
Best Actor ……. Gavin Brown (Found)
Best Actress ……. Tesha Moon Krieg (Maria)
Best Director ……. Scott Schirmer (Found)
Best Animated Film ……. Andrew: Story of a Closet Monster (Elliot Lobell)
Best Documentary ……. Not Anymore: Story of Revolution (Matthew VanDyke)
Best Foreign Language Film ……. Agnus Dei (Agim Sopi)
Best Horror Feature Film ……. The Gauntlet (Matt Eskandari)
Best Horror Short Film ……. I See Monsters (Federico Alotto)
Best Music Video ……. Masheenee Alcketiara (Ema Shah)
Best Original Score ……. Hipster! The Musical (Adam Blair)
Best Screenplay ……. Grace (Lynda Lemberg and Jeffrey Allen Russel)
Best Short Film ……. Baghdad Messi (Sahim Omar Kalifa)
Best Student Film ……. Job Interview (Julia Walter)
NY Perspectives Award ……. The Final Note (Mayeta Clark)

“I am very proud of our team this year,” says Winter Film Awards Founder and CEO George Isaacs. “As an organization we were able to use our resources to give back even more to the filmmaker. That is what we are all about – it is so important to celebrate the achievements of emerging filmmakers and we hope to watch them use this as a springboard into the industry.”

The 2014 Winter Film Awards Judges Panel was comprised of 15 industry individuals with diverse points of view, including 20-year industry veteran Frank Calo, production executive of “The Believer”, award-winning filmmaker Sam Borowski, Broadway and Hollywood composer Stephen Trask, cinematographer Mik Cribben, music personality Matt Pinfield, producer/writer/director Larry Rosen and Miss Albania Benardina Radi.

Winter Film Awards 2014 Independent Film Festival is proudly sponsored by GrayLine NY, B&H Photo, 20Grand Vodka, Coney Island Spirits, Cupcake Cartel NYC, Cyberlink, Fabric Mill, FearsMag, Final Draft Inc., Glidecam, Graphic Stock, Hunter Mountain, Indie Flix, Jo Malone London, JT Talent, Jungle Software, Pole Position Raceway, ProductionHub Inc, PS Print, Que Sabor Bakery, Ride of Fame, Rooftop Films, Sony Creative Software, SpotHero, Sweets First Bakery, Video Blocks, Viktor Koen, The Village Voice, Worldcast Inc and Ya Mastiha Liqueur

Winter Film Awards (WFA) is a volunteer-run and operated celebration of the diversity of local and international film-making.  In addition to the annual Independent Film Festival, WFA hosts 4-6 events each year in New York City, including panel discussions, networking parties, a 48-Hour Film Challenge, archival cartoon screenings and other fun film-related events, and works with all local NYC film schools, colleges, arts high schools and many cultural societies.

For more information on WFA festival, sponsors, judges, and upcoming events
please visit www.WinterFilmAwards.com and find them on Facebook.

http://festival.org.mx/site/ch_eventos/codex-dresdensis/

http://festival.org.mx/site/ch_eventos/codex-dresdensis-2/

Trailer of The Midnight After: http://youtu.be/oRaASwkkevg

While the countdown has already begun, the 16th edition of the Far East Film Festival– held in Udine from 25th April to 3rd May–  reveals one of its key features: the close artistic and cultural connection with Hong Kong, which is clear year after year at the Festival. However, for the upcoming edition, this connection will manifest itself with a slightly different nuance: sure enough, since the handover to China 16 years ago, the former British colony has never been so proudly hongkongese; and the same can be said of its cinema!

Hong Kong calling, you might say, and the great Udine festival is more than ready to take the call: Fruit Chan, who will present his latest work TheMidnight After, is among the guests of honour (an in-depth talk on this will also feature Marco Müller, an expert on Fruit Chan’s films). This eccentric and pleasantly absurd film, although hard to pin down, can be described as a surreal horror-comedy, a metaphor of Hong Kong’s obsession with its “expiry date” and its fear of disappearing.

16 years ago Hong Kong was fretfully waiting to rejoin China in the same way Los Angeles is presently dreading the arrival of The Big One. Back then, 1st July 1997 was HK’s sole expiry date. Today, the number of these “expiry dates” seems to have drastically increased: in both daily life and films, Cantonese appears to have been outmuscled by Mandarin, the official language of the People’s Republic; Hong Kong’s film industry is not the same as it used to be, due to the rules (more like obligations) set by the mainland, by which it has to abide; the city’s inhabitants, immune carriers of Hong Kong’s culture and traditions, are fleeing the bustling historical areas of the metropolis to find a safe haven in the outskirts or even abroad. Not surprising considering that the rents in Hong Kong are the highest in the world: in some cases, apartments are sold for the astonishing price of 100.000 Euro / m2 ! Are Cantonese language and culture about to expire? Are the houses about to expire? Is HK a city about to expire?

In The Midnight After (which will be screened in its final version after its stop over at Berlinale), HK is incredibly desolate. In the middle of the night, a mini-bus, with 16 typical Hongkongese aboard, drives out of the famous Lion Rock Tunnel and carries on north towards the New Territories.

The passengers are stunned looking at Tai Po, one of the world’s most densely populated districts, now an eerie ghost town. Vanished cars, closed shops, unlit signs and shut doors… no one in sight: it’s as if the once vibrant and fragrant harbour had been mysteriously robbed of its life and had faced the Apocalypse. The only thing the passengers can hear is a sound travelling through the ether, coming from the crazed mobile phones… could be a message from outer space…

Now, the 16 bewildered passengers, driven by a chubby driver (Lam Suet), livened up by a sleek gangster (Simon Yam), escorted by a clairvoyant and a long-haired geek, attempt to unravel this mystery and make sense of this unexpected situation through the customary optimism and known pragmatism of the Hong Kong people. The passengers call the control tower in vain, as Major Tom does in Space Oddity. They will also find themselves lost in the night, «sitting in a tin can far above the world and there's nothing they can do». David Bowie’s classic perfectly expresses the themes of exile and death, capturing the alienation of Hong Kong’s residents toward their own rapidly evolving homeland.

With Made in Hong Kong (1997) and Durian Durian (2000), Fruit Chan has presented us viewers with the city’s moral decay since its handover to China. The Midnight After isn’t merely the third, overwhelming chapter in this “saga”, but it also symbolises the rediscovered awareness of Hong Kong cinema. It also represents the proud and strong sense of identity of Hong Kong people, which goes hand in hand with their will to directly vote their mayor at the 2017 elections.

The complete festival programme is online!
Visit the website to browse through more than 400 films and put together your personal festival programme. From hilarious shorts to trail-blazing music videos and art film, from pencil sketch to mouse click. Surprising, inspiring, refreshing. There will be features and shorts, games en cartoons, competitions, special programmes, presentations and talk shows.

The online ticket sales starts Wednesday 12 March at 12:00 hrs.



Norman McLaren Classics
On the occasion of the 100th birthday of the award-winning animation filmmaker Norman McLaren (1914-1987) the Holland Animation Film Festival presents a special film programme with his work. McLaren’s oeuvre includes innovative techniques like scratching and painting on film, cut-out animation and pixelation. The timeless and Oscar-winning parable Neighbours (1952), a distinctly political pamphlet against violence, is part of this programme.

Committed film
McLaren’s film Neighbours was also a source of inspiration for the special theme programme on committed films that HAFF compiled in consultation with Gerrit van Dijk prior to his demise in 2012. Van Dijk was a pioneer in this field, with a poetical film like Butterfly R.I.P. 1975 (1975), but also the more aggressive Jute films (1979). This year too, the festival pays attention to the committed film: from socially engaged to politically oriented. For example:

Getekende mensen (Netherlands, 1984) by Harrie Geelen is a documentary about drug abuse.

Dehors Novembre (Canada, 2005) by Patrick Bouchard. An exploration of death, expressing the unspeakable through dark, striking images. To the song of Les Colocs, a tribute to the band's harmonica player who died of AIDS-related complications.

Freedom for Jafar Panahi (Canada, 2012/2014) is a series of five animations by different creators, who fight for the freedom of Jafar Panahi and all imprisoned Iranian filmmakers. HAFF has the world premiere of the series’ most recent film: Le Cinéaste (2014) van Éléonore Goldberg.

The Birds Eye View Film Festival (8-13 April) is delighted to reveal details of their 2014 programme which promises to be a packed six day celebration of endlessly inspiring women from across the globe. Boasting numerous premieres, special presentations and events, this year’s Festival showcases some of the most exciting new filmmaking talent including works by British director Destiny Ekaragha and Laura Checkoway to films by Lena Dunham and Kelly Reichardt. The Festival will also celebrate some of the most inspiring female filmmakers and actors of recent times including the late pioneering animator Joy Batchelor; Broadway legend Elaine Stritch and award-winning British filmmaker Gurinder Chadha.

Birds Eye View Film Festival Artistic Director, Kate Gerova said: 'Our 2014 programme is a real statement of intent from a new global generation of female filmmakers aiming to inspire audiences with new stories and perspectives. We believe audiences are eager for different, edgy and exciting cinema - and these filmmakers offer that in spades.'

Showcasing 19 features including 10 UK premieres, from edge-of-your-seat thrillers to heart-in-your-mouth personal stories, highlights include the UK premiere of German director Katrin Gebbe’s remarkable debut NOTHING BAD CAN HAPPEN, which caused controversy at Cannes and confirms Katrin as a striking new voice in European cinema; and the London premiere of Jennifer Baichwal and Edward Burtynsky's WATERMARK, the long-awaited follow-up to the pair's breakthrough documentary hit Manufactured Landscapes (2006), due for release later this year. The programme also includes an American Indie strand featuring Kelly Reichardt’s acclaimed thriller NIGHT MOVES starring Jesse Eisenberg and Dakota Fanning; Chiemi Karasawa’s ELAINE STRITCH: SHOOT ME, an intimate portrait of the Broadway legend with contributions from Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, James Gandolfini and Nathan Lane; and the UK Premiere of LUCKY, Laura Checkoway’s extraordinary story following a homeless mother’s survival on the streets of New York City over five years.

As previously announced, Nana Ekvtimishvili’s and Simon Groß’s award-winning Georgian feature IN BLOOM will receive its UK premiere for the Festival’s Opening Night on Tuesday 8th April. The Festival’s Closing Night sees the UK premiere of Lola Bessis and Ruben Amar’s touching French-American family drama SWIM LITTLE FISH SWIM on Sunday 13th April, with both events taking place at BFI Southbank.

Cutting-edge documentaries feature heavily in this year’s programme, showcasing some of the most interesting filmmakers today whose bold new approaches push the boundaries of the documentary form. From Anna Eborn’s brutally beautiful account of a marginalized Native American community in PINE RIDGE (UK Premiere) to Narimane Mari’s striking, prize-winning trance-film BLOODY BEANS which follows a group of children during Algeria’s War of Independence. Also featured is Mia Engberg’s intricately edited and evocatively scored BELVILLE BABY, a playfully original look at love, time and things that get lost along the way, shot on everything from real-life cellphone video to super-16 footage.

Special screenings include Gurinder Chadha’s BHAJI ON THE BEACH, as previously announced, to celebrate its 20th anniversary which includes a Q&A with Gurinder and Special Guests, plus Claudia Weill’s iconic film GIRLFRIENDS, recently ‘re-discovered’ by Lena Dunham.  

The glamorous Festival favourite Fashion Loves Film returns to look at how images of fashion reflect culture, heritage and identity for female filmmakers across the world. From the experimental to the luxurious, highlights include Lena Dunham's brilliantly quirky BEST FRIENDS for the Rachel Antonoff Fall line 2013; SHOWstudio Head of Fashion Film Marie Schuller’s exploration of Asian Couture; Kathryn Ferguson's Irish fantasia MATHAIR; and MIU MIU’S WOMEN'S TALES by directors including So Yong Kim, Ana Duvernay and Zoe Cassavetes. A panel discussion at the ICA follows.

Bursting with the country’s most exciting new talent, Bright & British sees a day of celebration and anticipation for what’s to come in British cinema.    Saturday 12 April offers a packed day of screenings and industry events including ‘Welcome to the Audience’ which sees three British filmmakers discuss the different stages of their journey; ‘Small Talk’ in which producer-director Amy Hardie  and Melissa Silverstein author of renowned IndieWire blog ‘Women & Hollywood’ delve deep into the modern film mind. A number of short films will also screen including Georgina Oakley’s FRAYED and Tamara Drewe writer Moira Buffini’s FATHER. Audiences will be able to buy a BFI day pass to all of this and more which culminates in the Special Screening of BHAJI ON THE BEACH. 

From international award-winners to undiscovered gems, a host of international shorts will screen at the Festival on Sunday 13th April including Sundance Award-winner THE CUT from director Genevieve Dulude-Decelles to Anahita Ghazvinizadeh’s Cannes award-winning film NEEDLE.

The ever popular Sounds & Silents strand returns this year with a celebration of ‘Women in Jazz’ which sees cutting-edge live music scores to silent films by incredible new female artists.  A live score by Niki King, one of the UK’s leading singer-composers and winner of the prestigious Perrier Jazz Vocalist of the Year Award, to classic comedy starring the radiant Gloria Swanson WHY CHANGE YOUR WIFE? at BFI Southbank. This year also sees the return of the hugely talented and award-winning singer, musician and songwriter Amira Kheir whose live score to SUMURUN (ONE ARABIAN NIGHT) will take place at the Barbican.

For younger audiences, Children's Cinema Club: Famous Fred and animated shorts, workshop & Q&A promises an afternoon packed full of animated fun which includes a screening of BAFTA winning animation FAMOUS FRED, starring Lenny Henry as a cat who secretly moonlights as a feline singing sensation. Children will also have the opportunity to participate in a ‘make-your-own animation’ workshop where they can bring their very own animations to life, plus they will have the chance to speak directly to some of the filmmakers.

In addition to screenings and filmmaker Q&A’s, this year’s Festival is pleased to announce a Training & Craft programme which offers practical skills, invaluable insights and a bucketful of inspiration for the aspiring filmmaker and the fascinated fan.  Filmonomics presents a number of events including ‘The Black Art of Being Confident’ led by independent creative producer Mia Bays (Shifty, Ill Manors, Lilting) There will also be a special event and panel Q&A: Joy Batchelor – A Life in Animation to celebrate the centenary of the British pioneer animator whose credits include BAFTA nominated feature animation Animal Farm.  The event, curated by Batchelor’s daughter Vivien Halas, includes rarely-seen clips alongside an in-depth overview of her career followed by a panel discussion with animation programmer and author Clare Kitson, BFI Curator Jez Stewart and Vivien Halas. Additional events also include An Afternoon Tea with Critics, Actors & Directors in partnership with M.A.C. Cosmetics at Kettner’s Champagne Bar in Soho, tickets for which are free and will run throughout the Festival.

Events and screenings will take place at BFI Southbank, Barbican, Curzon Soho, ICA, Electric Cinema, Hackney Picturehouse and Clapham Picturehouse.

The 2014 Birds Eye View Film Festival is supported by a BFI Film Festival Fund Award.

http://www.birds-eye-view.co.uk/

Twitter: @BirdsEyeViewFF

For further information, please contact:

Becky Palmer: becky.palmer@organic-publicity.co.uk / 0203 372 0973

Sarah Corney: sarah.corney@organic-publicity.co.uk / 0203 372 0989

Naomi Meanwell: naomi.meanwell@organic-publicity.co.uk / 0203 435 9630

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Birds Eye View

Birds Eye View (BEV) is a leading UK based organisation celebrating and supporting international women filmmakers. Founded in 2002, BEV hosts an annual film festival, training programmes, and advocates on behalf of women working in the film industry.

BEV was founded as a response to the fact that 94% of the films distributed are made by male filmmakers, and aims to create a platform that encourages gender equality and diversity. With an impressive range of industry supporters and high-profile PR campaigns, BEV has established a space to highlight and challenge the gender imbalance in the UK’s creative industries, as well as creating bespoke training programmes aimed at improving the commerciality of projects to make them more attractive to the industry.

In January 2014 BEV launched Filmonomics, a training programme supported by Creative Skillset targeted at filmmaker teams of two and giving them insight into distribution, exhibition and audiences through panel discussions, networking and related reading.

About the BFI - BEV's long-standing supporter and principal venue BFI Southbank.

The BFI is the lead body for film in the UK with the ambition to create a flourishing film environment in which innovation, opportunity and creativity can thrive by:

•          Connecting audiences to the widest choice of British and World cinema

•          Preserving and restoring the most significant film collection in the world for today and future generations     

•          Championing emerging and world class film makers in the UK

•          Investing in creative, distinctive and entertaining work

•          Promoting British film and talent to the world 

•          Growing the next generation of film makers and audiences

The Philadelphia Film Society is proud to announce that it will produce the Philadelphia Film Festival (PFF): Spring Showcase, a 7-day film event scheduled to take place from Friday, April 11 to Thursday, April 17, exclusively at the PFS Theater at the Roxy. 

"I'm thrilled to add this exciting new event to the PFS 2014 calendar, allowing us to spotlight some of our favorite upcoming films from the Spring and Summer while also showcasing the newly renovated PFS Theater at the Roxy," said Andrew Greenblatt, Executive Director.  "With the event scheduled to take place principally at the PFS Theater at the Roxy, I certainly recommend getting tickets early, as I hope and expect a full sell-out."

The Spring Showcase offers a preview of the kind of diverse programming that audiences can expect from the annual Philadelphia Film Festival, October 16 - 26, 2014.  A small collection of exciting new films including summer releases and other hits from the festival circuit, it is a great sampler of the kinds of films that will be presented in the line-up this fall.

"We're extremely thrilled with this exciting selection of films. We hope to have built a fun weekend as a great mid-year reminder of the big cinematic things to come, " said Michael Lerman, Artistic Director and head of the PFS programming team.   

The full list and schedule of films will be announced later this month, with priority tickets available for Philadelphia Film Society members. More information will become available at http://filmadelphia.org/springshowcase

Watch ON THE ROAD features, shorts and documentaries online here!

Our aim was to improve the spirit of our ”Gathering” with our fresh idea, a special topic announced for film makers as well as in other areas of our program.

The films submitted in this category present ’being on the road’, let it be either a physical or intellectual journey or individuals, communities, minorities travelling temporarily or constantly, from free will or under pressure. Migration, emigration, crossroads or parallel directions, creation processes as well as intellectual or spiritual paths.

For us, it was even more interesting if they avoided the highways of media industry and the colorful boulevards of film market.

We were greatly surprised that film makers also had varied interpretations of the category: more than 10 percent of the record number of entries we received this year were submitted to the ON THE ROAD competition as well. 

It is important to note, that the Online International Film Competition is different from the 'classic' MEDIAWAVE International Film Competition. There are a couple of films to be shown in both competitions and this is indicated on the film site.

The „On the Road” films will be selected by a preview jury by the end of January 2014. The films in the program then will be available on the website of the festival between1 March and 30 April. After watching the films, we would like the online audience to vote for

-      the best film

-      the best cameraman

-      the best actor/actress

-      the most beautiful road

-      the hardest road

-      the strangest road

Voting deadline: 31 March

The voters can win festival passes and presents that fits the festival spirit.

The selected films will be evaluated also by a professional jury. You can watch the results of both evaluation in the screening rooms of the festival and the winner artists will be awarded by unique prizes reflecting the spirit of the category, like:

-      5 days holiday/shooting in a csángó community in Moldva, East Romania

-      5 days holiday/shooting in a rural Hungarian gipsy community

-      art craft made from wood floating on water (the Gathering is by the river Danube)

-      5 days accommodation in the Fort Monostor (sleeping on military beds)

-      5 days tour in the Pannonhalma wine region

Top African-American film star Danny Glover will attend the opening of the 3rd African Film Festival (18-24 March, 2014) to present his latest film “The Children’s Republic” that will open the festival. Also attending, among top African and international guests, Flora Gomes, the Guinea-Bissau director of the acclaimed film. Both Glover and Gomes will be given special tribute for their rich career at the opening night along with Egyptian star Mahmoud Abdel-Aziz. Glover has confirmed his attendance with his spouse to enjoy a stay in the historical city of Luxor.

The Management of LAFF decided that the ceremony of the third edition begins early Tuesday across the Nile River with Golden Boats taking the festival’s guests from their hotels to Luxor Temple. This will be accompanied by folk music bands and flags of the participating countries flying with Helium balloons in Luxor skies.
Sayed Fouad LAFF President said that a theatre has been built inside Luxor Temple that will host the opening ceremony, with a performance by Nile Ballet of the Cairo Opera House, Music by Omar Khairat and directed by Abdel-Moneim Kamel , and with the supervision of Dr. Inas Abdel Dayem. The ceremony is TV directed by Omar Zahran .
Fouad added that after the Ballet, a tribute will be given to Egyptian star Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, American star Danny Glover, and Bissau-director Flora Gomes before the showing of The Children’s Republic, directed by Gomes and Starring Glover.



حفل إفتتاح مهرجان الأقصر للسينما الإفريقية في أحضان الفراعنة


قررت إدارة مهرجان الأقصر للسينما الإفريقية، بدء الاحتفالات بافتتاح الدورة الثالثة التي ستنطلق الثلاثاء المقبل عبر نهر النيل، حيث ستنطلق مجموعة من الذهبيات التي تحمل ضيوف المهرجان في الرابعة عصراً إلى مرسى معبد الأقصر، بمصاحبة فرق الموسيقى الشعبية. وبعد الوصول إلى المعبد، سيتم إطلاق أعلام الدول المشاركة على بالونات "الهيليام" في سماء الأقصر .
وصرح "سيد فؤاد" رئيس المهرجان أن معبد الأقصر سيحتضن حفل الافتتاح، حيث تم بناء مسرح بداخله، وستكون الفقرة الرئيسية في حفل الافتتاح هي عرض "باليه النيل" لفرقة باليه أوبرا القاهرة، موسيقى عمر خيرت وإخراج عبدالمنعم كامل، وإشراف الدكتورة إيناس عبدالدايم، وسيشرف على الحفل المخرج عمر زهران .
وأشار "فؤاد" إلى أن حفل الإفتتاح سيشهد تكريم الفنان "محمود عبدالعزيز" والنجم الأمريكي "داني جلوفر" والمخرج الغيني "فلورا جوميز" ، فضلاً عن عرض فيلم "جمهورية الأطفال" بطولة داني جلوفر وإخراج فلورا جوميز .

Writers judge filmmakers, filmmakers judge scripts. Winning filmmaker shoots 1 of the top 10 script. 

writersandfilmmakers.com

iREP was initiated in 2011 by three Nigerian culture workers and activists to promote independent documentary film production, expression and discourses, especially to spread global awareness about the role of documentary films in deepening participatory democracy. Some of its other objectives include creating a platform of awareness and expression for aspiring and practising filmmakers, and providing a forum for people’s ingenuity to be showcased without prejudice to style or subject.
 

IREP 2014 – RAISON D’ETRE

The 2014 iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival is conceived on the traditional framework of Africa in Self-conversation and will explore the theme ‘Rhythms of Identity’. Everything is about representation. Images are important, they are political; they form the rhythm of our identity and are present in all the elements that define who we are – music, dance, language, religion, governance, dressing, etc. iREP 2014 will interrogate the patterns of representation in Africa using the metaphor of music and rhythms which significantly stands us out from the rest of the World.

As Africans, our relationship with sound and movements is remarkably distinct from any other cultures of the World; whether or not an African is born and bred on the continent, there is a sense of appreciation for sound and movement that can almost be described as a ‘sense of one-ness’ with sound. This innate attachment to rhythms and the musical is far beyond body gyration or wanton excitement; it is an identity that reaches far into the cosmos of African existence; a tool for self-awareness, self-interrogation, and self-edification.

In the myriad of complications that come with consumerist globalization, the African identity is at a huge disadvantage. The African identity is always as defined by international capitalist media; a definition which constantly raises the question of whether there is any form of humanism in Africa.

At such times as this, our rhythms provide us with a repertoire of examples that raise a rebuttal to the prevalent argument and mind-set that intractably seek to write Africa into dark ages. What do our rhythms tell us about our identity as Africans, what might we discover about ourselves if we dare to interrogate our past. These are the arguments that the 2014 iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival will explore.

KEY FEATURES OF iREP 2014:

The festival’s keynote address on the Opening day Thursday 20th March will be delivered by the Director-General of the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Mr. Emeka Mba. Time 10am prompt. The keynote is titled "Rhythms ofAmalgamation- Fashioning a Nigerian Identity."

1. iREP 2014 will feature highly respected filmmakers from different parts of the World. It will also feature a rich collection of award-winning Documentary films from across the world, complemented by works of young and old filmmakers in Nigeria. This year, we also introduce a special room; which is entirely dedicated to films screenings all day throughout the period of the festival. This is to cater for participants who are wholly interested in films screening, and also allow other participants see a film they might have missed.

2. iREP 2014 Festival will feature the PRODUCERS' ROUNDTABLE an international co-production and co-operation forum for documentary filmmakers, established during the 2011 festival. The Filmmakers’ Roundtable will hold on Friday 21st & Saturday 22nd March, 2014, and will explore innovative options and opportunities in international co-productions and distributions. The forum will bring together international organizations such as Goethe, AGDOK,

DOKFEST, AWDFF, Africa Magic and other relevant support Institutions for African cinema.

3. iREP 2014 will also feature a filmmaker’s workshop targeted at upcoming filmmakers who need an immersion into how to take advantage of digital filmmaking possibilities. The trainings will introduce aspiring filmmakers to Techniques of Doing More with Less in Digital Filmmaking, and Documentary Appreciation & Styles, facilitated by Lanre Olupona and Barbel Mauch. This holds on Friday 21st & Saturday 22nd March, 2014.

The plenary sessions of the Festival will also include Paper Presentations and Panel Discussions by top culture workers, intellectuals, scholars and art activists. The festival will close on Sunday 23rd March with a Jazz concert.

About iREPresent Film Forum.

The Conceptual framework of iREPRESENT (iREP) is AFRICA IN SELFCONVERSATION; and it is designed to promote awareness about the power of documentary format to serve as a means of deepening and sharing social and

cultural education as well as encouraging participatory democracy in our societies.

iREP is conceptualized to create platform of awareness and expression for aspiring and practicing filmmakers who are creating socially relevant documentary films to positively impact our world. To fully engage an array of trans-cultural creativity, iREP will provide a forum for everyone's ingenuity to be showcased without prejudice to style or subject.

iREP celebrates the ever expanding world of documentary films by inviting talents from across the globe to share ideas on trends and technological advancements in the format.

Since 2011, the iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival has hosted over 3000 participants. This year, our target audience includes young/ professional filmmakers, screenwriters, production Company executives, TV executives, feature Documentary development executives, film workers, distributors, commissioning editors, cinematographers, sales agents, producers’ reps, entertainment lawyers, animators, Editors, national and state film organizations, government agencies, trade show exhibitors, new media professionals and content creators.

iREP International Documentary Film Festival was founded by a board of directors which include FEMI ODUGBEMI, Award-winning Producer/director, past President of ITPAN (Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria) & CEO of DVWORX STUDIOS; JAHMAN ANIKULAPO, culture journalist and activist, Programmes Director of CORA (Committee for Relevant Art) & Project Director of Culture Advocates Caucus, (CAC); and, MAKIN SOYINKA, culture activist and filmmaker- all are operatives of the West AfricanDocumentary Film Forum, WADFF – with a mission to develop and nurture the talent of young filmmakers in Africa and internationally. We warmly invite you to keep the date and participate at this unique international gathering of Africa's non-fiction filmmaking community for an exciting and change-inspiring experience. Registration is at the venue and attendance is free. We look forward to welcoming you!

Mirage International Film Festival Announces Distributors In Attendance

The mission of the Mirage International Film Festival (MIFF) is to help filmmakers present their films to audiences, industry professionals and distributors from around the globe. One of the most important aspects of achieving our mission is to ensure we provide an environment where aspiring writers and filmmakers can connect with agents, sales companies, distributors and other industry professionals.

To that end, the Mirage International Film Festival is pleased to announce the names of 6 distribution companies who will be sending representatives to attend the 2014 Festival. The companies confirmed to be in attendance are Lightning, Lionsgate, Magnet, Magnolia, Pantelion, and Universal. Stay tuned for additional announcements of companies sending reps to the 2014 Festival in the coming months.

For more information on submitting to the 2014 Mirage International Film Festival, or to attend the 2014 Festival please visit www.miragefilmfest.com.

About Mirage International Film Festival
The Mirage International Film Festival (MIFF) seeks to become the premiere annual event for independent filmmakers worldwide. Our mission is to help filmmakers present their films to audiences, industry professionals and distributors from around the globe. In order to best achieve this, the festival strives to create an immersive, high energy environment that promotes networking and the awe-inspiring wonderment that only great cinema is capable of producing.

For the 2014 Festival, MIFF will screen over 250 feature and short films over five days this summer in Las Vegas, Nevada. Through our 4 competition programs: Feature Films, Short Films, New Media Films, and Original Screenplays, MIFF will award prizes totaling more than $40,000 in 2014. With a plethora of distributors, sales & production companies and production executives guaranteed to attend, filmmakers and attendees will have unprecedented access to industry professionals.

For more information please contact us at info@miragefilmfest.com or visit www.miragefilmfest.com.

OPENING CEREMONY of the 16th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival – Images of the 21st Century. 14-23 March 2014

The curtain rose on the 16th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival - Images of the 21st Century with a discrete opening ceremony held on Friday, March 14, 2014, at a packed Olympion theater. Nastia Tarasova’s documentary Linar, which chronicles the touching adventure of a frail young boy, was screened after the ceremony.

In his opening remarks, Thessaloniki Documentary Festival director, Dimitri Eipides, welcomed the audience, government representatives and other dignitaries, noting: “Thanks to the continuing support of the city’s audience and our partners, the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival has succeeded in rapidly growing and claiming its place amongst the most important international film festivals. We all have the right to have access to the kind of independent, alternative information documentaries provide. Documentaries present us with images from our world, which are free from the influence of interests. The goal of documentaries is to not only highlight important events from around the world, but also to promote human interest stories that entertain, inform and move the audience.”

Commenting on the film line-up of the Festival’s 16th edition, Mr Eipides said: “The Festival will screen 191 films from 42 countries and will host 52 foreign filmmakers. It will also feature two tributes: one to the Festival’s long-time friend and tireless supporter, Peter Wintonick, who came to an untimely end; the second to French documentary filmmaker Nicolas Philibert. In collaboration with a number of greek municipalities and film societies, a selected part of the program will travel outside Thessaloniki to be screened in other Greek cities after the Festival. Furthermore, for a fourth consecutive year, the Documentary Festival will run its Live Streaming screenings, which includes the films of the Olympion theatre’s 20.30 slot – they will be simultaneously screened in a number of other Greek cities.” Mr. Eipides also stressed the importance of the Agora/Doc Market section of the Festival, which will welcome more than 140 buyers, representatives of TV stations and sales companies, producers and distributors, while the Festival will be attended by 62 international reporters and correspondents. Mr Eipides added: “As we do every year, we are collaborating once again with the European Documentary Network – Docs in Thessaloniki, with 70 participants from both Greece and abroad. Furthermore, we are again happy to welcome visiting student groups, who have come this year from the American University in Bulgaria, New York’s Columbia University and the University of Worcester in the UK.” In his final remarks, Mr Eipides said: “The Festival keeps evolving despite these taxing times. The international prestige of the institution promotes Thessaloniki’s international image as an alluring destination and cultural hub.”

Mr Eipides then invited Thessaloniki Mayor Yannis Boutaris to officially announce the 16th TDF opening. Mr Boutaris wished success to the Festival’s new administration, urging the board to “keep supporting an institution that is a significant force of the city of Thessaloniki, has been embraced by the international cinema community and is also very dear to the people of Thessaloniki.” Mr Boutaris then added: “the Municipality of Thessaloniki supports the Documentary Festival, considering it one of the most vibrant, dynamic and internationally acclaimed facets of the city. In my capacity as the mayor of Thessaloniki and as an avid filmgoer, I will provide every possible support to the Festival.” Mr Boutaris also took the opportunity to comment on the shutdown of Greece’s former state broadcaster, ERT, arguing that “an important sponsor of our documentary productions has been lost. I believe that the government should reconsider how ERT collaborated with the Film Festival, and offer a solution.”

Mr Eipides then called Nastia Tarasova on stage, to introduce the Festival’s opening film Linar. The filmmaker introduced the film, which is her first and took her five years to complete. “I hope you enjoy the film, despite its dramatic theme,” she said. Linar moved the audience, as it narrates the story of a six-year old boy from Russia, who travels to Italy to receive a heart transplant.

The parallel events of the 16th TDF are financed by the European Union’s Regional Development Fund for Central Macedonia, 2007-2013.

-OFFICIAL 16TH TDF PRESS RELEASE-

Edited by Vanessa McMahon

The tenth Glasgow Film Festival supported by Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, Event Scotland, Creative Scotland and The BFI, closed tonight with the Scottish Premiere of Under the Skin. A packed programme of 369 screenings, panel discussions, live performances and pop-up cinema events ran across the city throughout February, and while final box office figures were unavailable at time of going to press, organisers can confirm that they’ve already broken 40,000 total admissions, and are delighted that the Festival has managed to reach that particular milestone in ten years.

Allan Hunter, Festival Co-Director, said:
‘This has been a thrilling tenth edition of Glasgow Film Festival. Our loyal and growing audience have more than confirmed their status as one of the best festival crowds in the world, greeting our guests with rousing welcomes and standing ovations, and, as the numbers show, turning up in droves. We put together a huge programme of UK and European premieres, vintage treats and the unique pop-up events that have become a GFF speciality, and our audiences have provided us with enough encouragement and love to keep the Festival going. We’re all happily exhausted, inspired and glowing with gratitude that such a marvellous team effort has been met by such a generous public vote of confidence. Roll on 2015!’

STARS VISIT THE CITY
From the start of Glasgow Youth Film Festival on Sunday 2 February to tonight’s Scottish premiere ofUnder the Skin, the Festival has brought over 300 guests to the city. Oscar-winner Richard Dreyfussjoined actor-turned-director Jason Priestley on the red carpet outside Glasgow Film Theatre for the UK premiere of Cas & Dylan; director and former/present Python Terry Gilliam brought his new film The Zero Theorem; rising star Jack O’Connell (soon to be known as the lead in both Angelina Jolie’sUnbroken and 300: Rise of An Empire) joined director David Mackenzie and writer Jonathan Asser to promote Starred Up; Richard Ayoade came in support of The Double, while Jonathan Glazer and Paul Brannigan attended the Closing Gala for Under the Skin. Some of the Festival’s most magical moments came courtesy of the guests, too: legendary director George Sluizer got a much-deserved standing ovation from a full Cinema 1 when he presented the final cut of Dark Blood, River Phoenix’s final film; the original inspiration for ‘Brown Sugar’, Claudia Lennear, treated the audience of 20 Feet from Stardom to an incredible acapella musical performance; while Black Angel director Roger Christian brought a long-lost film back to life, and revealed how he created the lightsaber! Glasgow Music and Film Festival took in performances from rapper Danny Brown, Admiral Fallow, DJ Carl Craig and Goblin, while My Mad Fat Diary’s Sharon Rooney and Katie Morag creator Mairi Hedderwickdelighted teenage and schoolage audiences of Glasgow Youth Film Festival.

CINEMAS POPPING UP ALL OVER THE PLACE
In its tenth year, the Festival extended well beyond the walls of Glasgow’s traditional cinema spaces, transforming some of the city’s most unique and dramatic spaces into pop-up cinema spaces. Glasgow’s grandest Gothic gallery, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, was the perfect backdrop to a fancy-dress gala screening of Young Frankenstein, complete with atmospheric live organ performance. The bravest Festival-goers were recruited for a mysterious ‘potholing expedition’ (and surprise screening of The Descent) in the caverns underneath Central Station, while The Glue Factory in the north of the city was turned into a retro video game arcade for a screening of Tron. Seafaring cinephiles climbed aboard Glasgow’s Tall Ship, The Glenlee, for The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Pete’s Dragon, and a late-night screening of John Carpenter’s The Fog, while Grand Central Hotel made a perfect setting for the themed party following the Festival’s Opening Gala, the UK premiere of Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. The Festival also partnered up with Street Food Cartel for a series of Street Food Cinema screenings of beloved foodie classics in Glasgow’s former fishmarket, The Briggait, while Scottish indie-pop darlings Admiral Fallowplayed a sold-out tenth birthday concert/film event at The Old Fruitmarket.

SHORT FILM SUCCESS
Glasgow Short Film Festival also enjoyed a very successful year – The Bill Douglas Award for International Short Film was won by Chinese director Zhu Rikun’s The Questioning (Special mentionHow to Abandon Ship by Robin McKay), with the Audience Award going to Yak Butter Lamp by Hu Wei; while The Scottish Short Film Award, sponsored by Mother India’s Café, went to Getting On by Ewan Stewart (Special Mention No Hope for Men Below by Adam Stafford), and the Audience prize going toExchange & Mart by Cara Connolly and Martin Clark.

Allison Gardner, Co-Director of Glasgow Film Festival, said: ‘This year our programme commemorates three anniversaries; ten years of Glasgow Film Festival, forty years of GFT and 75 years of a cinema on our Rose Street site. We’re absolutely delighted GFF has made it into double figures and past 40,000 admissions, and we intend to keep on producing exciting, unusual and accessible events, celebrating cinema across the city, side-by-side with our audiences. Here’s to another wonderful decade.’